http://darwiniana.com/2009/02/05/harris-at-edgeorg-discussion/ History, Evolution, and the Darwin Debate Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:29:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://darwiniana.com/2009/02/05/harris-at-edgeorg-discussion/comment-page-1/#comment-331533 The Gurdjieff Con » Sam Harris at edge.org, and Aleister Crowley Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:36:10 +0000 http://darwiniana.com/?p=19350#comment-331533 [...] Sam Harris at Edge.org (unwittingly) makes a statement about our discussion here. If I have one quibble with Dyson, it is that he has been far too modest in drawing out the implications of his argument. He is, of course, right to declare that “science and religion are here to stay.” But magic is here to stay too, George; Africa is full of it. Is there a conflict between scientific rationality and a belief in magic spells? Specifically, is there a conflict between believing that epilepsy is a result of abnormal neural activity and believing that it is a sign of demonic possession? Dogmatists like Coyne and Dennett clearly think so. They don’t realize, as Dyson must, that the more one understands neurology, the more one will understand—and honor—demonology. Have Coyne and Dennett read the work of sophisticated magicians like Aleister Crowley or Eliphas Levi? Don’t count on it. Ask yourself, how could matter conflict with spirit in any way? Answer: it cannot. Forgive me, but I find it embarrassing to have to explain these things to people who are supposed be well educated. [...] [...] Sam Harris at Edge.org (unwittingly) makes a statement about our discussion here. If I have one quibble with Dyson, it is that he has been far too modest in drawing out the implications of his argument. He is, of course, right to declare that “science and religion are here to stay.” But magic is here to stay too, George; Africa is full of it. Is there a conflict between scientific rationality and a belief in magic spells? Specifically, is there a conflict between believing that epilepsy is a result of abnormal neural activity and believing that it is a sign of demonic possession? Dogmatists like Coyne and Dennett clearly think so. They don’t realize, as Dyson must, that the more one understands neurology, the more one will understand—and honor—demonology. Have Coyne and Dennett read the work of sophisticated magicians like Aleister Crowley or Eliphas Levi? Don’t count on it. Ask yourself, how could matter conflict with spirit in any way? Answer: it cannot. Forgive me, but I find it embarrassing to have to explain these things to people who are supposed be well educated. [...]

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